Dredge construction



Oct. 27, 1970 J. E. RICHTER DREDGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 5, 1969 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 27, 1970 J. E. RICHTER DREDGE CONSTRUCTION 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1969 INVENTOR.

BY John E. Richter 5%, W, M Mwms Oct. 27, 1970 J. E. RICHTER DREDGECONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 5, 1969 n gym ,m mn. A E. .mf nl.m Y; B

Oct. 27, 1970 J. E. RICHTER 3,535,801

DREDGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 5. 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 mi@ #d Ff g. /4

INVENTOR.

John E. Richter f orneys Oct. 27, 1970 J. E. RICHTER 3,535,801

DREDGE CONSTRUCTION Filed May 5, 1969 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

John E. Richter BY if ,mw M? MAMA frneys United States Patent OfficePatented Oct. 27, 1970 U.S. Cl. 37-61 3 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSUREAn improved dredge construction for dredging solids from the bed of abody of water. The dredge employs an open ended conduit mounted on apair of spaced pontoons in conjunction with uid jet means opening intoan intermediate section of the conduit so as to project uid underpressure in the said intermediate section to create suction and drawsolids into the conduit for movement from an inlet section to an outletsection of the same. A flexible portion of the conduit between saidintermediate and inlet section also enables substantially universalmovements of the inlet section in response to hydraulically actuatedmeans for moving the inlet section. The dredge further employs a highcapacity pump in conjunction with a power source mounted in spacedrelation on the pontoons so that the pontoons will remain substantiallylevel during dredging operations.

Background of invention Heretofore, dredges for the removal of silt anddebris, such as rocks, cans, bottles and refuse from harbors, canals,etc., and for deepening and widening channels, have been cumbersome,extremely costly, relatively inefficient, and difficult, if notimpossible, to move from one site to another without disassembling them.

A dredge of the present invention is capable of moving a substantiallygreater number of yards of solids per hour, for its size, thanheretofore, and which dredge may be quickly and easily loaded onto atrailer for movement over the highway, without disassembly, and cannormally be launched at the desired site and ready for operation in lessthan an hour.

The unit and discharge conduit, including suction-jet meanstherebetween, provide an open, through bore free from moving parts,through which the materials hereinbefore mentioned are adapted to fullypass without clogging the conduit or injuring the latter, and the jetmeans is iluid actuated for water to carry and to propel the dredgedmaterial, and for air to assist in the elevation of said material at oneor more points along the conduit.

The center of gravity of the portion of the suction conduit in thedredge is low, said conduit being at the water level and preferablypartly submerged, thereby materially reducing the height the dredgedmaterial is to be lifted. Also, the draft of the hull is materiallyreduced due to the position of the conduit on the hull and relative tothe water level, and the pontoons providing the hull are so constructedand connected as to insure against distortion or injury thereto duringloading, launching, and use with the minimum of material, and the meansfor connecting the pontoons provides for watertight bulkheads thereonand a support for the conduit.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the description anddrawings.

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the dredge with air and waterpressure lines indicated in dot-dash lines, and with end portions brokenin length to accommodate the view to the sheet;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the dredge, with end portions broken away;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the bulkhead plates;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the intake end of the suctionconduit, and the supporting means therefor including the control means,several positions of one of the control means being shown in dot-dashlines;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the portion shown in FIG. 5 withone of the control means indicated in several positions in dot-dashlines;

FIG. 7 is an end view of the intake end of the main suction conduit;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG. 2taken through one form of a jet that is in the suction conduit;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged part sectional and part elevational view of twoother forms of jets that may be employed;

FIG. l0 is a side elevational view of one of the mooring spuds, withpart of the dredge hull shown in crosssection, and dot-dash linesindicating the position of the spud in its elevated position `beforelowering;

FIG. 11 is an elevational view of the mooring Spud of FIG. l() as seenat a right angle to the position shown in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a top elevational view of the spud of FIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is an end view of a loat for the discharge end portion of theconduit positioned away from the dredge, the conduit being shown incross-section;

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the float of FIG. 12, broken in length;

FIG. 15 is a semidiagrammatic view of the portion of the conduit on thedredge showing a preferred form of arrangement in which air and water isemployed for elevating and propelling material;

FIG. 16 is a semidiagrammatic view of the conduit on the dredge, whereair may be employed for elevating and propelling the material;

FIG. 17 is a semidiagrammatic view showing an arrangement employingwater only.

Referring to FIG. 1, the symbol W/ L designates substantially the normalwater level of the body of water in which the dredge is oated, and whichwater level may be even higher `when the dredge is in operation.

A pair of horizontally elongated hollow pontoons of sheet metal,designated 1 (FIGS. 2, 3) are in parallel, spaced, side-by-siderelation, leaving a space 2 (FIG. 2) between them. These pontoonsprovide a hull transversely divided by bulkheads, generally designated3, which bulkheads extend transversely across the pontoons and the sapcebetween them.

Bulkheads 3 divide each pontoon into a row of sections extendinglongitudinally of the pontoons, each section having top, bottom and sidewalls welded at their edges to the bulkheads. Said sections may begenerally square in cross-sectional contour (FIG. 3) except that theoppositely outwardly lateral facing side walls 4 of the pair of pontoons(FIG. 3) preferably extend slightly slantingly outwardly form each otherin an upward direction. The upper wall 5 of each section, except thosehereafter identified as being for fuel and for hydraulic fluid, may beprovided with a valved air inlet tting 6 and a valved water outlet tting7, said air inlet fitting being adapted to be connected by aconventional air line with a source of air pressure under pressure, andthe water inlet tting being adapted to be connected with a source ofwater under pressure.

An engine unit 8 includes a compressor 9 adapted to provide air underpressure and said engine unit is also connected with a water pump 10 forproviding water under pressure. The lines connecting the inlet fittingswith the compressor and pump are conventional, and by their manipulationthe hull may be trimmed. A water outlet 11 in each section extends froma point adjacent to but spaced from the bottoms of each section to andoutwardly of the upper portion of the latter for exhausting water fromeach section under the influence of air through the air inlet fitting.Normally the hull remains substantially level both before and duringoperation of the dredge, due to the parts thereon being substantiallybalanced with the main suction and discharge conduit centrally betweenthe pontoons and intermediate the upper and lower sides so as to providea low center of gravity.

Each bulkhead 3 (FIG. 4) comprises a single plate having end portions 13(FIGS. 3, 4) that are between adjacent sections of the respectivepontoons. The central portion 14 of each plate 3 extends transverselyacross the space 2 between the pontoons and is cut away from the upperedge to provide a centrally, upwardly opening recess 15 of less widththan the distance between the f pontoons forming the hull of the dredge.The opposite lateral edges 16 of the lower portion of each recess arevertically extending, and the lower edge 17 of each recess is horizontal(FIG. 4), and the upper portion of the recess is enlarged to provide apair of upwardly facing shoulders 18. A saddle-like or generallyU-shaped strap 19 is secured over the edges 16, 17 of each recess 15 andextensions 20 of each strap extend over and are secured to shoulders 18.

The sections designated 21 (FIG. 2) and 22 are respectively for enginefuel and for hydraulic fluid and have capped inlets therefor.

The suction and discharge conduit 23 is seated in the U-shaped strap 19and a hold-down or clamping strap 24 extends across said conduit at eachbulkhead plate and is i bolted to extensions 20 of the saddle strap tohold the conduit rigid with the hull of the dredge.

Said conduit 23 includes a jet unit 2S adjacent to the front end of thedredge, which front end is the left end, as viewed in FIGS. l, 2, whilethe opposite end may be designated the rear end. The said conduit 23extends horizontally from end-to-end of the dredge, and is fully closed.

Said jet unit includes another open-ended cylindrical inner tube 26(FIG. 8), and an outer cylinder 27 coaxial with and spaced outwardly ofsaid tube 26, the latter having a radially inwardly projecting rearflange 28 in sealing engagement with the outer surface of portion 27,while the forward end portion of said outer cylinder extendsconvergently to but in relatively close spaced relation to the forwardend of the inner tube 26, providing an annular jet opening 29 directedconvergently generally toward the axis of the tube 26 in a rearwarddirection. A radially inwardly extending flange 30 on cylinder 27 spacedbetween flange 28 and the forward end of tube 26 is in sealingengagement with the outer surface of utbe 26 and defines the rear end ofa water pressure chamber 31 around tube 26 communicating with the jetopening 29.

The convergent forward end of the cylinder 27 is approximately the samediameter as conduit 23, and the rear end of the inner tube 26 also isapproximately the same diameter as the conduit 23, although preferablyslightly smaller, and connects with the latter. Thus, the jet unit isvirtually part of the conduit.

A pair of water inlets 34, 35 (FIGS. 1, 2) open substantiallytangentially into the water chamber 31 at opposite sides of the latter,and in the same direction circumferentially of the outer cylinder 27 toprovide a swirling flow of water in said chamber for similar swirlingejection into the conduit toward the forward end of the latter, creatinga suction within the inlet or front end of the suction unit, and aspiral propelling ow in a forward direction forwardly of the ejectionorifice 29.

The front end of the portion of the conduit 23 that is on the dredge 1connects with a flexible section 36 (FIGS. l, 5, 6) that is ofapproximately the same diameter as that of portion 23, and which section36 extends forwardly from the rear end of hulls 1. The rear end ofsection 36 is supported on a ladder, generally designated '37 (FIGS. 5,6), which ladder comprises elongated parallel horizontally spacedmembers 38, the forward ends of which are respectively pivotallysupported by coaxial horizontal pivots 39 (FIGS. 5, 6) to the lower rearends of the pontoons 1 for vertical swinging of the rear ends 0f saidmembers 38. The rear ends are connected by a head 40.

The rear end of flexible section 36 connects with a rigid tube 41 that,in turn, is rigidly supported on a supporting frame 42, the forward endof which is pivotally suprorted on a pivot 43 for horizontal swinging ofthe tube 41.

Double-acting hydraulic cylinders 45 connect members 48 with the upperrear ends of pontoons 1 for vertical swinging of the rear end of ladder37 vertically from a downwardly extending dot-dash line position 46(FIG. 6) to above the horizontal full line position of FIG. 6, asindicated by dot-dash lines 47.

A double-acting hydraulic cylinder 48 (FIGS. 5, 6) connects the frame 42on which tube 40 is supported and rearward extension 49 (FIG. 5) of saidtube, for horizontal swinging of said tube 41 and extension 49 laterallybetween dot-dash line positions 50, 51 of the cylinders, thus enablingthe intake end of the extension 49 to be moved downwardly to differentdepths and to sweep laterally at any of the different depths.

Preferably, an annular row of radially inwardly directed equally spacedprojections 53 (FIGS. 5, 7) in the intake end of extension 49 isprovided to prevent rocks or other objects from blocking the intake endand from entering the conduit if too large to pass therethrough.

As seen in FIGS. 5, 6, cylinder rod 54 of each cylinder 45 is pivotallyconnected to a member 38, and cach cylinder 4S is pivotally connected tothe upper end of a pontoon. Cylinder rod 55 of cylinder 48 is pivotallyconnected to the rear end of frame 42 while the forward end of thecylinder 48 is pivotally connected to the head 40 that connects theforward ends of members 38.

The dredge itself is moored in position by mooring spuds, generallydesignated 57, disposed at each corner, or at least at diagonallyopposite corners (FIGS. l, 10- l2). Each spud comprises a verticalcylindrical guide member 58 (FIG. l0) rigidly secured to the forward endof one pontoon and to the rear end of the other pontoon, where only twospuds are used, or to the forward and rear ends of each pontoon wherefour are used.

A vertical post 59 is vertically reciprocable in each guide 58 and avertically disposed hydraulic cylinder 60 is secured to the lower end ofeach guide at its lower end while the plunger rod 61 of said cylinderprojects from the upper end of each cylinder and is connected to acollar 62 around said post above said guide.

A vertical strip 63 (FIGS. l0, l2) is secured to one side of the post 59which strip is slidable in a rvertical slot formed in one side of guide57, and collar 62 above guide 58 includes a recess 64 (FIG. 12) formedin said one side in which said strip 63 is positioned. A vertical web 65(FIG. 10) is on the side of guide 58 from which the strip 63 projects.Said web 65 is formed with openings 66 adapted to register with openings67 formed in strip `63 and coaxial openings 68 in sides 69 of recess ggare also adapted to register with openings 67 in strip To elevate thepost, a pin 72 is positioned on registering openings 63, 68 in collar 62and strip 63 and pin 71 is removed, after which the plunger rod 61 isextended to elevate the post 59. If more than one stroke of the plungerrod 61 is required, the pin 71 is replaced and the plunger rod 61 islowered to again be engaged with the post. The same procedure isfollowed to lower the post, although it may move downward under theiniluence of gravity, if released.

As seen in FIGS. 13-14, drum oats 73 may support the discharge extension74 of conduit 23 that are forwardly of the dredge, where such extensionsextend over a body of water, said floats being connected by horizontalstrips 75 at their ends, between which the conduit extension is secured.

All controls for the engine 8, compressor 9, and pump 10, may be in theoperators cab 76, which controls are conventional, and the cab 716 ispositioned adja cent to the front end of the dredge where he can observethe dredging operation.

The jet unit is part of the conduit 23, and as seen in FIG. 1, it ispositioned between the pontoons 1 adjacent to the front end of the hull.The position of the conduit extending forwardly from the hull anddownwardly, during a dredging operation includes the flexible portion 36and the rigid terminal extension 49 and the latter includes a jet unit77 (FIG. l) that corresponds to A the unit 25.

The portion of conduit 23 that extends rearwardly of the rearward end ofthe dredge, and which may be called the discharge end, may extendupwardly to elevate the material that has been dredged over a bank oronto land that borders the body of water that floats the dredge, andthis may include a flexible section similar to section 36, or it may berigid sections of tubing, rigidly or flexibly coupled together to varythe degree of incline.

Where the rise is substantial at the discharge end a jet 78corresponding in structure to jet 25 may be in the conduit at the lowerend of the rise.

The provision of two twater inlets, such as 34, 35, to each of the jets25, 77, 78 enables varying the water delivery to the jets to meetvarying conditions, llexible water pressure lines 79 connecting the pump10 with jet 25.

The jet 77 is connected by exible air lines 80 with the source ofcompressed air 79, and flexible air lines 81 also connecting jet 78 withsaid source of compressed air 9.

Preferably, a check valve 82 is provided at each of the fluid inlets toeach of the jet units 25, 77, 78.

A valve 83 is adapted to be actuated to open air lines 80, 181 to thejets 77, 78 or to close either lines 77 or 78 to air, according to thedegree of lift required to efficiently move the dredged material. Also,valves 84, 85 in one o fthe lines 80, 81 of each pair thereof may cutout such line, and a valve 86 in one of the lines 79 may discontinue themovement of water therethrough. Obviously, any of valves 84, 815, 86 mayalso regulate the ow of lluid through the lines in which each valve islocated.

Where the dredged material is to be elevated a distance of sayapproximately 04 to 20 feet to the forward or inlet end of the portionof the conduit 23 that is on the hull, and is required to lift thematerial only approximately two and one-half feet above the forward ordischarge end of said portion of the conduit, the operation of the jet25 may be adequate. However, if the dredged material is to be elevatedapproximately ten feet or more at each of the opposite ends of thehorizontal portion of conduit 23 that is on the hull, then it ispreferable that all three jets 25, 77 and 78 be actuated at the sametime. Or, if the material is to be lifted over twenty feet to theportion of the conduit 23 that is on the hull, the jets 25, 77 areactuated, and also jet 78 where the material at the discharge end of theaforesaid portion of conduit 23 is to be elevated more than severalfeet.

FIGS. 15 to 17 semidiagrammatically illustrate different arrangements,and FIG. 9 shows different type jets that are more economical to makethan the jet unit of FIG. 8 but that are satisfactory.

In FIG. 9 the main conduit is generally designated 87, and correspondsgenerally to conduit 23. Instead of lll n.. nl)

the jet unit 25, a section of said main conduit may be formed with aplurality of annular rows of relatively small openings 88 that aredrilled at an angle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the axis ofthe conduit, provide passageways directed angularly inward the rearwardend of the hull of the dredge, so as to generate a suction at the inletend of the conduit and to propel said material in the same direction asthe jet unit 25 in FIG. 8. Openings 88 may be approximately %2 inch indiameter and equally spaced apart in the annular rows, the latterextending circumferentially of the conduit.

A pressure chamber 89 is formed around the section having holes 88therein by a tubular sleeve 90, coaxial with and spaced around conduit87, and joined at its ends to the latter by heads 91. Water to thechamber is provided by a line 92 opening into chamber `89 having a checkvalve 93 thereon adjacent to and outside sleeve 90.

Also, in FIG. 9, a jet unit 97 is shown along the lower side of thehorizontal run of conduit 87 opening into the latter. This unit includesa nozzle 97 having a restricted discharge opening `99 outside butadjacent to the inner surface of the conduit 87l and directed at anangle of approximately 45 degrees relative to the axis of said conduitand generally toward the discharge end of the portion of the conduitthat is on the hull, as indicated by the arrow. A check valve 100 isadjacent to said nozzle in the uid line 101 that connects the nozzlewith a source of air under pressure.

A second jet nozzle 102 corresponding to nozzle 97 may be at the bend orelbow 103 that is at the lower end of an upwardly extending end portionof the conduit 87 at its discharge end, and said nozzle 102 is directedupwardly into said upwardly extending end portion, and it also has acheck valve 104 therein, and line 105 connects said nozzle 102 with asource of air under pressure.

In FIG. 15, a source of water under pressure, which may he the same aspump 10 in FIG. 1, is diagrammatically indicated at 106, and acompressor unit or source of air under pressure is indicated at 107.

Main conduit 108 on the dredge hull may be provided with a jet 109thereon adjacent to the intake end of the conduit, which jet maycorrespond to jet 25 and is connected with the source of water 106through flexible lines 110, one of which has a valve 111 thereon.

A jet unit 114 is adjacent to the terminal lower end of the portion ofconduit 108 extending to the inlet end of the conduit, and this unit maycorrespond to the jet unit 87 of FIG. 9. A check valve 115 is adjacentto the inlet to the unit 114 and a line 116 connects said unit with thesource of compressed air 107.

Along the underside of the horizontal portion of conduit 108 that is onthe dredge hull, are a plurality of spaced jet units 117 thatcorresponds to the jet unit 97, one of said jet units being designated118 is at the elbow 119 where the conduit extends upwardly beyond thedischarge or forward end of the dredge hull. All of the jet units 117and jet 119 are connected with the source of air 107 and each has acheck valve 120 at the inlet end of each unit.

This arrangement basically corresponds generally to the arrangementshown in FIG. 1 in that provision is made for the employment of air andwater in the dredging operation. However, the provision of jets 117along the horizontal length of the main conduit not only contributes tomovement of the dredged material toward the discharge end of the mainconduit, but being injected into the material at the lower side of thehorizontal length of the conduit the upward force of the air against thematerial that may tend to settle, plus the inherent upward movement ofthe air in the conduit prevents the settling of the dredged material andexpedites its How through the conduit.

The air injected into the conduit at the lower ends of the riser of thelatter positioned at the intake and discharge ends of the conduit 23will rapidly rise to assist in the upward movement of the water anddredged material into and away from the inlet and discharge ends of thehorizontal length of the conduit that is on the hull. The elbow 119 maybe adjacent to the hull or it may be remote from the latter where thereis a substantial horizontal length of conduit in extension of theportion on the hull, and which extension may be supported by tloats 73shown in FIGS. 13, 14 at approximately the same level as the portion ofthe conduit that is on the hull.

With the arrangement shown in FIGS. 1 and 15, the dredged material willbe carried in a substantially horizontal extension of the portion of theconduit on the hull several hundred yards and more without booster jetsalong such extensions, but with such booster jet where the conduit mayextend upwardly for either discharging the dredged material over a bankor onto a barge, or onto an elevated area of ground.

In FIG. 16 only a source of air at 122 is provided, which source isconnected by flexible hose lines 123 to a jet unit 124 that maycorrespond to the jet unit 114 of FIG. or 87 of FIG. 9, and jet units125 and unit 126 corresponding to jet units 117 and unit 118 are alongthe underside of the lower horizontal length of the horizontal length ofthe main conduit 127, with check valves associated with or adjacent toeach jet unit. These units 124-126 correspond in position to the units114, 117-118 of FIG. 15.

This arrangement is more restricted in its scope of use than thearrangement in FIGS. 1 and l5, but the air jet 124 in combination withjets 12S-126 will function to elevate the water and certain types ofdredged material a minimum of 10 feet to the horizontal length ofconduit 127 and to and through the latter and the discharge portion ofthe conduit.

In FIG. 17, water only is used, the source 128 being fr a pump or thelike, such as 10 of FIG. I, connected by flexible hose lines 129 to jetunits 130, 131 that structurally correspond to jet unit 97 of FIG. 8,the former being at the terminal lower intake end of the downwardextension of the horizontal hull supported portion of conduit 132 thatis on the hull, and which jet unit 130 is directed diagonally upwardlyinto the lower end of said extension, while jet unit 131 is at the upperend of said extension for discharging into the intake end of theaforesaid horizontal portion of the conduit. A jet unit 134,corresponding to the jet unit of FIG. 8, is positioned in saidhorizontal portion of conduit 132.

By the arrangement shown in FIG. 17, the use of water alone will elevatethe dredged material approximately feet to the horizontal portion of theconduit 132 that is on the hull and will propel it, with no more than ause of approximately 21/2 feet, to the discharge end of the conduitincluding an extension thereof in a direction away from the hullforwardly of the latter.

In the event the conduit is blocked at the inlet end by someobstruction, a gate valve 136 is provided, which gate may be closed,thereby reversing the ilow of water in the conduit to dislodge whateverblocks the inlet.

It is pertinent to note that nowhere in the conduit is there anyobstruction to the tlow of dredged material therethrough.

In the event the pump 10 should stop or slow down to the extent that thedredged material within the conduit should cease to move to thedischarge end, or in the event any back pressure within the conduitshould develop at any of the jet units, the check valve adjacent to anysuch jet unit will close to prevent any of the dredged material fromentering the pump line or jet unit to impair its operation of the latterwhen such back pressure is removed.

It is to be understood that either of the jet units 87 or 97 shown inFIG. 9 may be employed wherever a jet unit is shown, but the type shownat 97 in FIG. 9 is preferable where used along the horizontallyextending length of the conduit, as indicated at 117 and 125 in 8 FIGS.l5, 16, inasmuch as the fluid enters the conduit at the lower side tokeep the dredged material from tending to settle to the bottom alongthis length.

Also, where booster jet units may be used along a horizontal length ofthe conduit leading away from the hull of the dredge, such units may beused and would both function to propel the dredged material toward thedischarge end, and to prevent settling. As already described, airemployed in connection with these jet unils, would automatically rise inthe conduit from each such jet unit to keep the dredged material andwater thoroughly mixed within the conduit as the dredged material ismoved along the horizontally extending run.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that, both in the methodand apparatus, an important feature of the invention is the fact thatthe material being dredged is elevated to approximately the level of thewater, instead of being elevated to a height above the pontoons,therefore the center of gravity of the load on the dredge itself isquite low and the pontoons have a very low draft enabling the dredge tooperate in relatively shallow water. More important, is the economy inpower effected by elevating the dredged material only sutliciently toraise it to the level of the water before moving it horizontally out ofsaid body of water.

Where the head of the fluid and material in the conduit is substantial,and the pressure of the injection fluid drops, it is important that thereverse flow of lluid and dredged material into the fluid injectionunits would choke the latter. The check valves preclude failure due tosuch reverse flow.

I claim:

1. A dredge for dredging solids from the bed of a body of watercomprising:

(a) an open ended conduit of substantially uniform unobstructed insidediameter from end to end thereof including a horizontally extendingintermediate section, and an inlet section and an outlet section,respectively extending outwardly from the ends of said intermediatesection, one open end of said conduit being an inlet at the outer end ofsaid inlet section remote from said intermediate section and theopposite open end of said conduit being an outlet at the outer end ofsaid discharge section relative to said intermediate section,

(b) a pair of corresponding, horizontally extending,

elongated, hollow pontoons in parallel, spaced sideby-side relation atopposite sides of said intermediate section,

(c) water-tight vertical bulkheads within said pontoons spaced apartlongitudinally of said pontoons and extending at right angles to theaxes of said pontoons dividing each of said pontoons into separatecompartments,

(d) said bulkheads comprising plates extending from said pontoons acrossthe space between them supporting said intermediate section of saidconduit centrally between said pontoons parallel therewith, and atapproximately the level of the body of water in which said pontoons aretloated when the latter are on said body,

(e) power means supported on said pair of pontoons over the spacebetween said pair of pontoons at the ends of the latter to said inletsection whereby said pontoons will be substantially level in the wateroating them,

(f) said conduit including a tlexible portion between said inlet sectionand said intermediate section for substantially universal swinging ofthe inlet end of said inlet section relative to vertical and horizontal,

(g) hydraulically actuated means connected with said inlet section formoving the latter for so swinging its inlet end,

(h) a pump connected with said power means for actuation by the latterfor pumping water from said body under pressure when said pontoons arefloated on said body,

(i) fluid jet means opening into said intermediate section including ajet outlet directed into said conduit in a direction generally towardsaid discharge section for projecting uid under pressure into saidintermediate section in said one direction to create a suction in saidinlet section to draw solids into said conduit for movement from saidinlet to said outlet, and a uid pressure line connecting said pump withsaid jet means for providing water under pressure to the latter,

(j) manually actuatable means on said pontoon posi tioned over saidspace between the latter at the ends of said pontoons adjacent to saidinlet section and connected with said hydraulic means for actuating thelatter for moving said inlet section,

(k) and one of the corresponding compartments in each of said pontoonsadjacent to said power means being adapted to hold hydraulic tluid forsaid hydraulically actuated means, and another of the correspondingcompartments in each of said pontoons being adapted to contain fuel forsaid power means, said power means being an internal combustion engine.

2. ln a dredge as defined in claim l;

(l) each of said pontoons being approximately rectangular in verticalcross-sectional contour transversely thereof with horizontal upper sidesproviding shallow draft pontoons each with the upper wall of eachpontoon being a horizontal deck for workmen and equipment,

(rn) and a vertically reciprocable vertically elongated hydraulicallyactuated spud at two diagonally opposite corners of said pair ofpontoons for mooring said pontoons to the bed of said body of water uponsaid spuds being moved downwardly lo said bed.

3. In a dredge as defined in claim 2:

(n) a second jet means adjacent on said inlet section adjacent to saidinlet for injecting air under pressure into said inlet section in adirection generally toward said intermediate section,

(o) an air compressor connected to said power means for actuation by thelatter, and means operatively connecting said air compressor with saidSecond jet means for supplying said air under pressure to said secondjet means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT F. PULFREY, PrimaryExaminer C. D. CROWDER, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. XR.

37-72, 57; ll4-l25; 103-262, 263

